


Hope Yule Be Mine

by CGotAnAccount



Series: ADVENTure Is Out There! [25]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Childhood Friends, Getting Together, Happily Ever After, M/M, Meddling Moms, SHEITH - Freeform, Tooth Rotting Fluff, happy holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:53:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21946891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CGotAnAccount/pseuds/CGotAnAccount
Summary: “Keith, my son, light of my life,” his mom sing-songs from the kitchen, grin audible as she pokes her head in through the doorway. “Have I told you you're my favorite child lately?”
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Series: ADVENTure Is Out There! [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558660
Comments: 41
Kudos: 165





	Hope Yule Be Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Day 25 of Adventures! Merry Christmas to all!

“Keith, my son, light of my life,” his mom sing-songs from the kitchen, grin audible as she pokes her head in through the doorway. “Have I told you you're my favorite child lately?”

He can't help the smile that steals across him, even as he turns away from rubbing Kosmo's belly to give her a playful eye roll.

“What do you want, mom?”

“Hey!” She pushes off the door frame and strolls over to them, squatting to rub at Kosmo's haunches as she throws him a grin. “I can't tell my child how much I appreciate him without suspicion?”

“So you don't want anything then?” He quirks an eyebrow at her, reaching out to nudge Kosmo to roll onto her foot. “I can just keep laying here with your second favorite child?”

“Weeelll...” she drawls, eyes dancing as she scoots her foot from underneath and flaps Kosmo's ears back and forth with vigor. “I _could_ use someone to run to the Shirogane's to grab some eggs... I'm all out and I told your father I'd make his favorite pie.”

Keith hesitates just a second, blush creeping up his ears as he thinks of every other year his mother has gotten him to go over there under some flimsy pretense during her long running campaign to get him and Shiro together. It's not that he's opposed to the idea – far from it, he's just well aware that Shiro is handsome and kind and a walking ball of sunshine... and Keith is just... himself.

Plus, it's embarrassing as hell. He and Shiro see each other often enough working in the same company – not as much as Keith's poor gay heart would like, but neither one of them have missed their weekly pizza and movie night or any other excuse Keith can come up with to hang out for several years. It's safe to say that if anything was going to happen it probably would have by now.

But still, it's the principle of the thing.

“How do you even know they have eggs?” Keith grumbles, just a touch petulantly as he hauls himself up and trudges to the door to slide on his boots. “Why not just send me to the grocery store?”

“I already called his mother,” Krolia chirps back, cooing down at Kosmo who had lifted his head to give Keith a baleful look of abandonment. “She's expecting you.”

“Nice of you to do that before you asked me...”

There's no heat to his words, and it doesn't even rankle him at this point. His mom and Mrs. Shirogane have been doing this dance for years. Last year they had sent Shiro over here for chestnuts, and suddenly his mother needed someone to test her new batch of cocoa that took at least an hour to whip up and couldn't Shiro be a dear boy and stay here with her and Keith long enough to try it? Then she had dimmed the lights and set careless whisper playing.

Two years before was nearly as bad – Keith's dad had sent him over with a load of firewood for the Shiroganes – despite the fact that they had an entirely full rack outside and more piled high on the property line between them. And of course by the time Keith got over there hauling the whole thing he was all flushed and sweaty, so Mr. Shirogane had insisted he take a rest and enjoy some tea with poor Shiro – and wouldn't he just love to borrow some clothes and shower there too?

Subtlety doesn't run in their families.

Still, he and Shiro have endured with commiserating smiles, neither willing to deprive their parents of fun – or truly minding the excuses to spend a little time together like they did when they were young, running back and forth across the little path in the flowers and hedges that divide their lawns. It's sweet really, that something as small as a long running joke that they'll eventually end up one big family has kept them together through the holidays.

Which is why he tugs on his boots and jacket with once last look at his mom and his dog, somehow both wearing looks of sly triumph, and crunches out into the swirling snow.

It's not quite as bitterly cold as he had anticipated, more of a muted chill that nips at his nose and ears as he jams his hands in his pockets. The world is quiet, street light casting a halo on the giant fluffy snowflakes that drift and stick into his hair. No howling wind blinds him as he sets off through the snow-covered hedge, just the crunching of his steps through the crust that had begun to set underneath the fine layer of powder. It's peaceful, watching his breath curling out in puffs, especially as he crosses through the hedge and sputters out a laugh at the misshapen snowman there to greet him. There's a little floof poking out from the top of its head and bent copper pipe for one of the arms.

Keith loves it.

Mr. Shirogane waves at him from afar, rolling the base for another through their back yard, gathering more and more of the snow as he makes little paths – just like he used to when Keith and Shiro were kids.

Shaking his head, he waves back and shuffles through their yard to the door, knocking once before pushing inside like he's done since he was barely tall enough to reach the doorknob itself.

“Mrs. Shirogane?” he calls toward the kitchen as he stomps the snow off his boots and peels off his jacket. It's not even worth pretending he's going to be getting the eggs and leaving. “Mom said you had eggs for her?”

“Oooh, Keith my dear!”

She bustles out of the living room, tiny and cheerful as ever as she wraps him in a hug. There's surprising strength in her arms, still spry and feisty as she pulls back to smack him with the wooden spoon in her hand.

“How many times do I have to tell you to call me mom!”

Keith winces at the sting in his elbow, grateful at least for the ridiculous sweater he has on to pad the blow.

“Sorry, mom.” He wrinkles his nose at her playfully, stretching to tower over her as she plants her hands on her hips. “Sometimes it's hard to hear you from all the way up here.”

“You!” She brandishes the spoon again, eyes narrowed even as she fights a smile. “You are just as bad as my Takashi!”

Shrugging, he nods and dips low to press a kiss to her cheek, an olive branch.

“That's because he's always been a bad influence on me.”

“Slander!”

Shiro's voice floats in from the kitchen as he rounds the corner, wiping flour-caked hands on his frilly festive apron. There's more flour smeared across his cheeks and clinging to his hair – not to mention the fine layer dusting up his forearms and embedded in the cuffs of his rolled up sleeves.

He's pink cheeked and beautiful, as always.

“Don't try to lie to her,” Shiro teases, trying to wipe the flour off his face but only succeeding in smudging more elsewhere. “Everyone knows you made me go along with your schemes.”

“Takashi!” His mother whirls on him, spoon menacing. “Don't you be rude to my Keith, he is an angel!”

“Yeah _Takashi,_ ” Keith snickers behind her, pulling a face as Shiro pouts. “I'm the good son.”

Mrs. Shirogane whirls back, squinting at him.

“You can't be the good son until you eat something! You're thin as a rail, look at my Takashi here!”

Keith doesn't tell her that he's been looking for a long time, and that she is absolutely right. One glance at Shiro's thick thighs and muscled chest tells more than enough about the meals and gym time he's been getting.

“Yeah, Keith.” Shiro sticks his tongue out, flexing for show in his ridiculous outfit. “You gotta get buff on mom's cooking like I did.”

“Mom's cooking my ass...” he grumbles, shooting Shiro a flat look despite the sudden wave of heat in his cheeks. “You eat more packaged ramen and takeout than anyone I've ever met.”

Shiro shrugs and strikes another pose, dragging a flour-covered hand through his forelock as he preens in Keith's direction.

“Sounds fake.”

“You sound fake,” Keith snipes back, feeling like a skinny teen again as Mrs. Shirogane steps between them with a look of disbelief.

“Boys!” she admonishes with a huff. “Go flirt in the kitchen, those cookies need to be baked!”

Keith blushes up to his ears, taking consolation in the way Shiro's also go brilliantly pink as he drops his pose.

“I thought I was getting eggs?”

It's hardly a protest, and waved away immediately as he shuffles behind her into the warm light of their kitchen – which is an utter disaster of ingredients splattered on every surface. Shiro wanders back to a cutting board covered in some kind of dough, picking up his rolling pin and brandishing it at Keith as he slides up next to him.

“Not a word, you.” He pokes him in the ribs with the end of it, still blushing as he tries to wipe some of the mess into more consolidated piles. “This is harder than it looks.”

“Mhmmm.” Keith hums, smiling as he accepts the cookie cutter being pushed into his hands by the tiny Napoleon as she swoops out of the room. “I'm sure it is, Shiro... definitely rocket science.”

“Hush.” Shiro bumps him with a hip, rolling out the dough in a way that makes his forearms flex tantalizingly. “Don't bring up work when we're on vacation.”

“Apologies.” Keith bumps him back, smiling up at Shiro as the little wrinkles next to his eyes crease. He's still so beautiful it makes Keith's heart give a familiar little flutter. “I forgot, every moment feels like a vacation with you.”

The flirty tease hits its mark, renewing Shiro's fading blush like a new log on the fire.

“Keeiiithh,” he groans, ducking his head in a futile effort to hide his flaming face.

“Sorry Shiro,” Keith grins, not sorry at all as he shuffles closer to lean his head on Shiro's shoulder. “I can't help it, you're such an easy target.”

“Yeah, well...” Shiro grumbles, tipping his own head to rest against Keith's. “You're gonna give mom an aneurysm, then she's gonna call your mom, then they're gonna get our dads involved...”

Keith barks a laugh at Shiro's pout, reaching forward to press little reindeer into his dough.

“They'll have our wedding all planned out by Valentine's Day.”

Shiro's chuckle rumbles through them as he curls an arm around Keith's shoulders, pressing his own snowman cookie cutter into the other half of the dough.

“Funny that you think they don't have it planned out already...”

“You think?”

Keith shifts to tilt his head up to see Shiro's face, eyebrow cocked and smile soft. The shrug underneath his head jostles him just a touch as Shiro's gaze stays on the cookie sheet.

“I mean, they've probably had a scrapbook of venues and fabric samples since we ended up at prom together.”

That one earns a full laugh as Keith twists in Shiro's grip, hands on his hips as he gazes up at Shiro with mischief dancing in his eyes.

“I mean it's only fair,” he teases, poking Shiro in the chest with a grin. “I definitely had a notebook with Keith Shirogane written in all the margins... I bet my mom still has it.”

The cookie cutter drops to the counter with a clatter as Shiro blink at him in surprise.

“You did?”

Keith blinks back, arching one eyebrow as Shiro gapes.

“Of course I did Shiro... you've gotta know that.”

Shiro shakes his head, staring at Keith like he's never seen him before.

“I though you liked Matt!”

“Matt!” Keith barks another laugh, slapping a hand to his forehead as his eyes pinch shut. “Oh god, don't tell him that... hell no.” He shakes his head and shudders, still giggling. “No. Matt and I had... an arrangement... a long time ago.”

“Oh,” Shiro squeaks, struck by the way Keith's face lights up when he's happy, or laughing, or breathing... “Then uh... so...” He clears his throat and scrubs at the back of his neck. “So... a notebook, huh?”

“Yeah, Shiro.” Keith sighs, smiling that private smile that's just for him as he looks up through his lashes and fiddles with the cutter in his hands. “Come on, this can't be a surprise... I've had the biggest crush on you since we were like... six.”

“Keith!”

Shiro gasps, scandalized and shocked, planting a hand on the counter as he sways. The look on his face throws Keith into another fit of giggles, snorting adorably as Shiro continues with his sputtering.

“Oh my god, Shiro...” he wheezes, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes before reaching up to pat Shiro on the cheek. “You look like I hit you with a bus.”

“You might as well have,” Shiro groans, hiding his face in one hand while his fingers squeeze tight into Keith's shoulder with the other. “I never knew!”

“Well,” Keith sniffs, still cheerful as he goes back to making happy cookie shapes. “Now you do.”

Shiro drops his hand to gape down at him in disbelief.

“That's _it_?” he demands, staring at his best friend who blinks back innocently, like he hasn't just dropped a bombshell on Shiro's happy life. “You're just gonna... you just...”

“Relax, Shiro.” Keith laughs, shaking his head and resting a hand on Shiro's bicep. “It's not a huge deal, who wouldn't be at least a little bit in love with you after all these years?”

“ _Keith._ ” Shiro whines, scrambling to grab Keith by the shoulders, like he could shake some sense into him, or smooch some sense into him, or- “Keith, I've had a crush on you _forever._ ”

Keith's head rears back, expression morphing from amused to shocked himself.

“Really?” he asks, dropping the cookie cutter to lace his fingers around Shiro's neck. He studies those earnest eyes, alight with excitement and Shiro's utter inability to tell a lie. “Why didn't you say anything?”

“I thought _you_ knew!” Shiro groans, tipping his head back to stare at the ceiling, reveling in the way Keith's fingers shift to cradle his head. “I thought you were just being really cool about it – Matt says I'm as subtle as a sledgehammer.”

“Hah! He said the same thing to me.” Keith snickers and steps in closer, until they're chest to chest and sharing flour smears. “So... does this mean I can tell my mom she doesn't need to send me over here for eggs anymore?”

“Only if I can tell mine that you guys don't really need seventeen batches of cookies walked over there in two hour intervals.”

Grinning, Keith stretches up onto his toes, lips a hairs breadth away as he searches Shiro's eyes.

“Deal.”

He feels more than sees Shiro dip the last sliver, smiles just grazing and-

“Aha!”

They startle apart, eyes wide as Shiro's mother bursts from the pantry, tablet in hand with Krolia on a video chat, both munching on popcorn.

“I knew it would be this year!” she crows, shaking her little fist and waving the tablet in their faces. “Look at them, Krols! Look at them smooching in my kitchen – not your kitchen!”

Krolia's laugh chimes through the speakers, bright and bubbly as Keith's dad makes questionably lewd hand gestures in the background.

“I sent him over there in the first place, that's worth at least half the credit.”

“Nah-ah,” she shakes her head, grinning like a madwoman as she pokes Keith in the back, forcing him to shuffle closer to Shiro to avoid her bony fingers. “You know what that means.”

“Fiiine.” Krolia groans, still smiling in the grainy feed. “You get dibs on them for Christmas breakfast, but we get them for brunch.”

“That's right, Krols... and you tell Tex he better add the leaf to the dining room table, we're doing dinner over there too.”

“Mooom...” Shiro groans, burying his face in Keith's hair as she plans out the rest of their lives together. “Can't we have one minute before you all start in on us?”

She stretches up to pinch his cheek, wiggling his resigned face back and forth in the crown of Keith's hair as he sighs. Then she reaches over to pat Keith's own flaming face.

“Fine, you two have been good boys.” She thrusts the tablet at them with a grin. “But say goodbye to your mother.”

“Bye mom,” they chorus dutifully, Keith's eyes pained as she winks at them. “I'll be back over in a little bit.”

“Take your time, sweetheart.” Her eyebrows wiggle as his dad comes up from behind to knead her shoulders. “We're going to celebrate.”

“Mom!” Keith gasps, scandalized as they cackle at him.

“Use protection!” his dad snickers into the screen, reaching to end the call with a wink. “We sure will be!”

“Oh my god.” Keith smashes his face into Shiro's shoulder, utterly mortified as Shiro's mother skips away into the foyer. Of course she's thoroughly pleased with herself as she goes to update her husband outside. “They are the worst.”

“I think they're sweet,” Shiro croons, tipping Keith's chin up with a finger. “Just like you are.”

“Ugh.” Keith wrinkles his nose, leaning up to bump it against Shiro's with a huff. “Shut up and kiss me for real, you sap.”

Shiro can't help but oblige.

When Keith traipses home that night, so full of love he's immune to the chill, his heart does a little flip at the sight of a second snowman with a little snow mullet – peaceful where they lean together, arm in copper arm.


End file.
